Stop copying Whites – Museveni

President Museveni (L) serves cake to Mzee Rubongoya in Kabarole District on Saturday. PHOTO BY Ruth Katusabe.

President Museven has warned Ugandans against copying Western culture in trying to live a life of Whites. He said this on Saturday while launching the first comprehensive Runyoro/Rutooro (RR) dictionary, Akatondogorozi, by Lazarus Tinkasimire Rubongoya, 90, in Fort Portal Municipality.

He said most Ugandans especially beautiful “Batooro and Banyankole women” are admiring and copying the western culture thus killing theirs. “Beautiful Batooro and Banyankole women are bleaching to change their beautiful colour and become brown, reddish while others look like Arabs,” said Museveni.

The President said African languages are rich in vocabulary compared to English. “I cannot abandon my local Language and speak English throughout because English is a tour item,” said Mr Museveni added. He said Ugandans letting their languages die because they are copying western cultures is committing a crime against humanity.

Mr Museveni said he also wrote Katondoozi, Runyankole-Rukiga dictionary, as part of his efforts to promote and preserve culture. The president hailed Mzee Rubongoya who has writen up to 27 books for promoting Runyoro Rutooro language and Tooro Culture at large. He contributed Shs30m and also pledged Shs60m for Rubongoya’s personal support.

Lazarus Tinkasimire Rubongoya, authorAge. 90

Background. Mr Rubongoya was born on August 27 1923 in Kigwengwe, Karambi in Kabarole district. Education. He Rubongoya went to the School of Oriental and African Studies in London to study languages in East Africa.

Work experience. A teacher by profession and a member of the East African Literature Bureau, Mr Rubongoya introduced the Runyankore/Rukiga, Runyoro/Rutooro (RRRR) programmes on Radio Uganda. He also translated the Uganda Constitution from English to Rutooro. Personal details. Mr Rubongoya got an accident in 2007 which left him with a broken right thigh and confined to a wheel chair.